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Formula One
Formula One is an open-wheel racing series which has been around for almost 65 years. It was established in 1950 as a revival of grand prix racing after World War II halted all forms of entertainment in Europe due to the Nazi invasion. F1 is the most popular racing series outside the US. F1 has visited many countries in all continents, with many circuits becoming famous over the years. Some events are essential, while others are on-and-off. Some events were held for many years but never became all that notable, while others were shortlived. F1 tends to avoid the use of ovals, although the Indianapolis 500 served as the de facto United States Grand Prix for many years before being replaced by Sebring International Raceway and Riverside International Raceway before settling on Watkins Glen International, which would become a longtime host. That circuit would eventually be removed due to financial issues, leading to many American hosts, including Las Vegas, Long Beach, and Detroit. When Laguna Seca Raceway reconfigured its layout, there was rumor that it was a candidate for the calendar, but this did not happen. Ultimately, the event was removed. Many years later, Indy decided to construct an infield road course to attract F1, and this resulted in Indy hosting the event for several years until the course became unpopular after 2007. The USGP would be absent for several years until Austin, Texas would announce that it would build a F1-specific course. The plan was approved, and Austin hosted the first USGP in five years. The course, known as Circuit of the Americas, has since hostesd other events including IMSA and Grand Am. A street circuit in New Jersey is in development, reviving a "Grand Prix West" and "Grand Prix East" unofficially. Tribute At the Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the three liter era of Formula One is a popular race group. The event also commemorated the sixtieth anniversary of F1 in 2010. In Film Formula One was the subject of the 1966 film Grand Prix, from the makers of the film Le Mans. The film includes a focus on the dangers of motor racing at the time, which often led to at least one death per season. This hazard led to a major controversy, prompting movements to abolish motorsport in general as this danger affected every form of automobile racing. There have also been films based around Formula One champions Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna. Most recently the film Rush was released based on the rivalry of James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1976 Formula One season. Because the actor who played Hunt had also been in several popular films prior to Rush, the film was a success despite F1 not being as popular in the United States as in other countries. Video Games Several video games over the years have been released based on Formula One. The most popular is F1 Race for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Also for the NES was Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing, endorced and starring CART driver Al Unser Jr. It is loosely based on the 1988 season, despite having being released in 1990. Incidentally, Unser never competed in F1. In recent years a series of F1 games has been released to personal computers and modern consoles. Due to the success of Rush, the fifth incarnation of the Forza Motorsport series of automobile racing video games includes F1 and early grand prix racecars. Forza 5 is the first in series history to include open-wheel racecars. This gimmick was continued in Forza 6. Television In the original incarnation of animated cartoon series Transformers, the Autobot known as Mirage transforms into a Ligier JS11 with the Gitanes tobacco sponsor altered to say "Citanes" due to laws concerning tobacco advertising on children's toys. In other countries, the car simply says "Ligier". Category:Formula One Category:Racing Series Category:FIA Category:Open Wheel